"towards single-character action/RPGs (based on your "great RPGs" examples)"
While true in once sense, I could have easily named great Action/RPGs for days past such as BG 1, BG 2, PS and IWD of a top down variety.
Even though these bring back fond memories of yesterday, I do accept evolving RPGs as great as well.
While SS2 didn't really have anyone left alive to actually help develop a character, which also left little room for the diplomacy skill set, its a Fusion of old and new to me.
It’s much the same story with G1 and G2 as you couldn't effect the story or use Diplomacy skill set.
Now Bloodlines is quite different you could effect the story and use Diplomacy skill set maybe not as much as old school but once again we are dealing with evolution based on fusion.
There are obvious problems with old school games which are very clear, while the minority disagree the on principal, the majority of game buyers do agree.
First of all being forced to read book length, long drawn-out dialogues pull you out of the game experience, maybe not the story but certainly the game.
Most non hardcore will feel if they want to read they will go and read a book, if they want to play a game they want a more responsive experience than reading for 15 minutes only to play for 2 min, loot for 1 min, travel for 10 - 20 min, read for 15min start over again.
It’s the same reason you when you go to a movie you don't see acting for 5 minutes, read for 15 min and back to acting for 5 min.
Next you often are forced to micro manage everything, is this always bad, of course not, what is bad?
Its the fact that you can't choose to avoid it, old school forces everything, all at once down everyone’s throat whether they want it or not.
They are designed specifically for a very small minority of people willing to go to an all you can eat banquet of ideas and being forced to abide by everyone of them.
Most gamers want to be able to choose functions that fit their play style or limited playtime verses RL, some playing for fun might not have the time or be looking for an overwhelming experience of micromanagement.
In relation to Role-playing I do personally run into a problem with large parties in the sense I try to empathize with the characters on the screen I play/roll, so its much easier for me to focus one player to get a fuller experience, if I am playing and empathizing from the point of view of 6, I start feeling schizophrenic.
Also if the reference to Action/RPG was the games I named are more action oriented, it maybe true, its also true that Rare are RPGs where no fighting is necessary, so its perceptually based as to how much action verses diplomacy constitutes an RPG.
I.e the ones I named are RPGs by most definations unlike say Oblivion which is an Action game with some stats.
Good point Lucky Day, the Editor should have said when confronted, "We were trying to get a non D&D opinion, and our main stream D&D review didn't make in time for this months publictaion." or something along those lines.
He could have covered his and the Mag's butt, while distancing himself from this guy.
Anyway there is a good chance I would have a more postive experience with NWN2 if the Camera AI, the Companion Control and AI wasn't crap.
As another example I am forced to use Driving Cam to get as close to rearlock perspective as possible and prevent the Camera AI from doing summersaults and double half gainers yet can't get the elevation I want.
Next the Companion AI won't or can't stay put, I have looked through the Key settings and tried Right & Left clicking the Companions and nothing.
I didn't play a Rogue to have my party running over traps and running to the next fight before this one is finsihed and following me while I Stealth to scout out an area only to run in unprepared.
Then having the AI break and not follow, after retreving The Dust of the Grand Wahzoo in Dungeon of Despair from the Swamp of Unholy Terror for my Foster father, I told the Companion I wanted to look around before leaving.
(Who the hell, fights then leaves without looting, why was that dialogue necessary?)
So after I loot I start to leave and he will Not follow, so I am forced to play a Charater I did Not roll, who is a whiny brat (well not really but he could have been).
The point I guess is that while Gothic has been a buggy, frustrating and technically messy its still Gothic and you can feel it, so I care about and still want to play it.
NWN had no real emotional tie for me, I wasn't hooked on the Main story, (only Coop and Editor those meant something to me), so here we are with NWN 2 and it feels some what hollow at this point.
This isn't my final judgement obviously but it is how I feel about the game atm, so I was able to understand somethings the reviewer was trying to say, though he wasn't able to explain it functionally or do a good job trying.
"Don't like it eh? Thats it!!! I'm going to have to block the site for you again!"
ToddMcF2002 next time your wife has me over when your out of town, I gonna mess up you sock drawers and my wife says you still owe here $10 bucks, damn you !